For many years, people who have limited use of their legs and feet have had difficulty during the operation of a motor vehicle. To reduce these difficulties, various devices have been proposed to allow operation of the brake and accelerator pedals with one hand. However, all of the devices known are bulky and complicated, and are unsuited for use by a traveler. Such devices are either permanently mounted to the car, or are too large to fit in a bag under the seat of an airplane, requiring that the device be checked as baggage. Other devices only operate on one pedal or simply function as a crude cruise control.
There is one device known that breaks down into multiple pieces that fit into a dedicated case for travel. This was disclosed in a Contact Technologies brochure for the CT-901 portable automobile hand controls. However, that device takes at least thirty minutes to assemble, and each piece is dedicated to a particular function. Therefore, the device is unsuitable for applications where lighting is poor or the weather is bad. For example, a device that takes thirty minutes to assemble in lighted conditions can be difficult to use and assemble in the dark, especially for someone who has limited mobility. Such a device is so cumbersome that it does not provide a practical means by which a person with limited mobility can travel alone, without checking baggage, rent a car at a destination, and to be able to use the car.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that will break down into a small number of basic pieces.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that will fit into a briefcase or other container so as to be appropriate as a carry-on bag for air travel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can be quickly and easily installed on the pedals of a motor vehicle, preferably in less than ten minutes.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is relatively easy to understand, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.